One of the biggest draws in television during the mid-2000s was the hit prank show Punk’d. Hosted by Ashton Kutcher, an appearance on the show practically made you immortal in popular culture. Of course, at the moment, it didn’t feel like it. A few NBA players also found themselves being punked by Kutcher and Dirk Nowitzki was notably one of them. The German superstar has a reputation for keeping his cool, but was pushed to the limits during his prank.
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Kutcher’s master plan took place in a restaurant. Nowitzki was with teammate Michael Finley and a Dallas Mavericks’ training staff member, who were in on the prank. The entire premise of Kutcher’s prank was to have a kid bother Nowitzki during his meal, asking for an autograph.
It started with a simple white t-shirt, which Nowitzki showed no hesitation in obliging. Nowitzki believed that to be the end of their interaction, but the child actor returned, asking for another autograph.
This time, he had countless memorabilia, such as a Nowitzki jersey, a poster, and even a basketball. Did Nowitzki know where these came from? He had no clue, but he couldn’t bear to decline the kid’s request.
By this time, the food for the 14-time All-Star’s table had come. Instead of allowing the Mavericks star to enjoy his food, the kid continued to ask for autographs. Now, his mother was urging him to give even more products for Dirk to sign.
Dirk’s companions began to inflate the star’s head to make him feel like he was doing the right thing. The trainer told him, “You might be the nicest guy in the NBA.” At the end of the day, how can you say no to a kid? Dirk would soon realize the negative implications that could have.
Shortly after, the manager of the restaurant confronted the 7-foot forward. He proceeded to express his frustration with Nowtizki, saying, “I don’t want you to come back to the restaurant.”
Nowitzki was in disbelief. The child returned with another item he wanted signed. Nowitzki had every reason to lash out, but remained as calm as he could. The child brought a menu to Dirk, which read, “You’ve been Punk’d!”
Everyone erupted into laughter, while Nowitzki couldn’t believe he got pranked. He threw a marker at the camera crew, who revealed themselves simultaneously. His reaction was pretty timid in comparison to some others, like Shaquille O’Neal.
At the end of the day, Nowtizki was a great sport, and it made for an entertaining episode. But it’s safe to say, the next kid who asked him for an autograph might have had to answer a few questions.
